Kleshas as Root Imbalances and Psychological Doshas

Patanjali identifies five fundamental kleshas or afflictions: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death). These five can be understood as psychological doshas—root patterns that generate all mental suffering and eventually manifest as physical disease. Ignorance (avidya) creates vata's disconnection and confusion; ego (asmita) fuels pitta's aggression and perfectionism; attachment (raga) leads to kapha's dependent heaviness; aversion (dvesha) generates pitta's burnout and vata's anxiety; fear (abhinivesha) underlies all three doshas' resistance to change. Ayurvedic mental health frameworks treat these kleshas not as moral failings but as constitutional vulnerabilities to be understood, witnessed, and gradually dissolved through disciplined practice, herbal support, and lifestyle alignment.